Enabling a Digitally United Kingdom - Umic

6 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Recommendations
1) Government should support commercial and social enterprise, delivery of e-government services, and
development of strategic lifelong learning opportunities by providing key stakeholders with ongoing
demand and supply market intelligence based on the Digital Engagement Framework. The sharing of
this research evidence should be supplemented with cross-sector meetings to encourage collaborative
innovation and ongoing progress.
Through service transformation and improved IT efficiency and effectiveness, government should
continue to join up services around the needs of citizens via DirectGov and via the enhanced role of the
new e-Government Unit, which will have greater involvement in formulating cross-departmental take-up
strategies. Customer-focused propositions that enable easy access and use of local services such
as healthcare, social benefits and employment services should continue to be developed and evaluated
to ensure the realisation of benefits for all, including those who are currently not digitally engaged.
The national network of 6,000 UK online centres is an important resource that has the potential
to encourage digital take-up across a wide range of government services. It is also recognised that
trusted intermediaries that have a deep understanding of their client group are often better equipped
than government to deliver services for hard-to-reach groups. UK online centres are also an important
community resource, providing the necessary lift to enable often hard-to-reach groups of people
to become digitally engaged. Innovation in these areas should continue.
Response from the Government
The Government recognises the important contribution that the DIP report makes to advancing digital
take-up in the UK. It is clear that government, industry and the voluntary sector must work in partnership
to ensure that the UK continues its global leadership position in digital engagement.
The Department for Education and Skills will continue to lead on improving ICT skills and overseeing
investment in the public access networks through cross-government collaboration, working in partnership
with organisations such as e-Skills UK and the Learning and Skills Council. The Department of Trade and
Industry (DTI) will play an appropriate role reflecting its interest in working with the business community.
The e-Government Unit will take forward work to transform services to deliver benefits to the citizen, and
to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery. As set out in the 2004 Spending Review, the
e-Government Unit and the Treasury will issue guidance that details the essential elements of a high-quality
plan to drive take-up of e-services, and Departments will be required to develop plans that meet this
benchmark for all their key e-government services. This benchmark will include strong focus on ensuring
digital engagement. For people who are currently not digitally engaged, customer-focused propositions that
enable easy access and use of services such as health, social benefits, education, employment, and leisure
resources will continue to be developed.